Skeinspotting

My Anticraft Pics Up At Last

At last, here are some scanned copies of my designs for the Anticraft book, Knitting, Beading and Stitching for the Slightly Sinister. I am really happy with what they did, and kind of sad, because apart from my other half and the dogs, I realised that I don't really have any family to hand to say "Look what I did " any more.

A





Introducing Dave
Men's Ribbed Striped Beanie

I have been fussing and frogging and getting my other half to wear a hat for a day before snatching it from his head to re knit to avoid wasting the lovely yarn. I am happy with this now. It can stay like this, and I can confirm it is 'man proof', you know it won't rise into a little condom peak, or slide sideways, or all of the other horrors that men seem to create, they really do like to plonk their hat on like a dead cat.


I knitted quite a few, I think I might be giving these away but firstly I am going to try and sell them for £30 each, and donate the money to charity. If the hats don't shiftI can give these to some of my homeless chums

I have also been beavering away on a couple of new designs confidential at the moment.. Especially as my main big project has not gone ahead, I won't go into the reasons why, but it has freed me up to put a structure in place for an idea for a big project I have had floating around since about the year 2000 or before with over 40 designs (probably 2 books worth), and I am filling my design journal with real artwork (albeit niaive) in ink and coloured pencil, and then hoping to turn my own artwork into knitting charts.



Actually I have successfully turned artwork into knitting charts, but you know when you sit down to doodle for 10 mins it can turn into a whole day. I feel confident now that I can turn anything into a knitting or textiles chart, and that means I no longer have to be dependent on other artists. Perhaps I could even sell a collection of charts, as opposed to a specific pattern as many people have their own patterns but not the motifs they need to personalise their knitting.

Anyway, look out for some things in the Anticraft this year and a couple other on line magazines.

Obviously, I can't help submitting to the Anticraft, that house style is in my blood. I have kept to my New Year's resolution and had one day on the computer, and one day off sketching and knitting. My new phone, can access the web and although it is limited, it does mean I can pick up emails in the car on the way to the vets (every 2 weeks still) and I managed to surf images for ideas research. I am very much in need of a collaborator though.

I do have several big project ideas, and have been given the welcome to submit, but I feel that these ideas would be so much better with a sounding board. Someone who is good at photography would be a bonus, and someone who could help write copy and generally get involved. Obviously, I am not looking to employ anyone, this dream collaborator would be my equal and therefore share in any profit that comes our way and certainly for large projects would be the named writer too. I think I would prefer to have a collaborator I can see face to face regularly, I got a bit weary of not having much person to person contact on projects last year, it is not healthy at all.